Waun Fach (Spring 2015)

PLEASE NOTE: The GPX trace on this route is for use as a guide only, its accuracy may change depending on the scale of map you are using. Use in combination with judgement and a paper map. We have taken all reasonable steps to ensure these walks are safe and correctly described. However things do change and all outdoor activities involve a degree of risk. The publishers accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions or for any injuries or accidents that occur whilst following this walk. Trail magazine, Copyright Bauer Media Limited.


The infant Grwyne Fechan brook rises high on the slopes of the Black Mountains’ highest peak – Waun Fach – and then drops through the heart of a spectacular, U-shaped valley that is  as dramatic as any in the Brecon Beacons National Park. Running pretty much north to south,  the Grwyne Fechan is bounded to the west  by an undulating ridge, guarded by the twinpronged sentry of Pen Allt-mawr and Pen Cerrig-calch – both over 700m in height, and to the east by a loftier walkway that drops gradually from the peaty wastes of Waun Fach down to the more shapely apex of  Pen y Gadair Fawr and southwards from there.

This is Black Mountains walking at its absolute finest. The opening leg traces open hillsides just above the treeline, and it then makes a pretty steep assault on first the ancient hill-fort ramparts of Table Mountain and then the limestone tundra of Pen Cerrig-calch. But once up, the undulations are small and the views amazing. It’s a long walk, sure, but it’s not overly tough. And it can always be shortened via the path that follows the valley floor if it does become too much.


Distance 24.1km  (15 miles)
Total ascent 990m
Time 8 hours
Start/finish lay-by north of Crickhowell (SO234228)
Nearest town Crickhowell
Terrain mainly clear paths over high mountains, but one or two trackless sections and some wet going  
Accommodation Youth Hostel at Danywenallt 0845 371 9548 (near Talybonton-Usk); camping in Llangenny; plenty of B&B options in Crickhowell and Abergavenny Public transport buses between Abergavenny (rail) and Crickhowell www.travelinecymru.info  

SO234228 Head back over the bridge and break right to cross a stile. Head up the edge of the field to another stile and cross a lane to continue over another stile. Now head straight up, with a wood on your left, to another stile. Turn left and follow the path around the hillside. You’re following a wall that eventually drops to the left, in an open area. Fork right here to climb to another fork beneath a steep bank and keep left to rejoin the wall. Continue with it for another 500m where it again dips left. This time turn right onto a clear track that climbs onto the summit  of Table Mountain.
SO225208 Leave the plateau at its northern tip and follow the track across the saddle then up steeply onto the flanks of Pen Cerrig-calch. Ignore a track to the left and keep straight ahead to the trig point. Continue straight ahead to drop to the escarpment edge, then follow the ridge, which narrows slightly, before climbing to the trig point  on Pen Allt-mawr.

SO206243 Drop steeply down the northern spur and cross the plateau beyond towards a hump ahead. Fork left to continue out   onto the escarpment edge near some boundary stones. Now follow the slender ridge north onto Mynydd Llysiau. Drop into a large saddle where there’s a crossing of paths, marked with a large cairn; then keep ahead to climb steeply to Pen Trumau. Most of the height is in the bag now, so continue around the head of the impressive Grwyne Fechan valley and ease gently up to the summit of Waun Fach – the highest ground in the Black Mountains. The summit is crowned rather disappointingly with a lump of concrete – the stranded base of a long-removed trig point.
SO215299 Bear slightly right (south-east) here, and make your way across the boggy plateau towards the obvious cairntopped peak of Pen y Gadair Fawr, which marks the other end of the ridge. You’ll eventually pick up a faint path that follows the line of a brook before breaking left to make a beeline for the summit. This is a much more spectacular spot than Waun Fach, and it makes a better place  to take a breather and soak up the views.

SO229287 Leave the shelter in the same direction and drop slightly to follow the path to the corner of the obvious plantation. Keep the trees to your left and follow the ridge easily along, eventually climbing onto Pen Twyn Mawr. Keep ahead, now dropping all the time, until you reach an obvious broad saddle, marked by a cairn. Bear right here, on a faint path that leads to a better path close to a brook (Nant yr Ychen). Now follow this down across a forest track and into the forest. Continue back onto sheep pasture, with a farm to your right, and continue along a sunken track that leads around a sharp righthand bend. This leads down to a house, where you turn left to the road, which you then cross to follow another forest track up to another road. This is the road you are parked on; turn left to finish.